From Cost Center To Command Center: How Legal Ops Leads With Resilience – Above the Law

Legal
Operations
has
always
been
the backbone
of
business
resilience,
establishing
the
governance
structures
and
workflows
that
keep
organizations
running
smoothly,
no
matter
the
challenges.

As
disruptions
—
from
cybersecurity
risks
to
economic
uncertainty
—
become
more
frequent
and
complex,
Legal
Ops
teams
are
well-positioned
to
lead
the
development
of
sustainable,
resilient
frameworks
that
support
long-term
continuity
and
growth.​

From
Cost
Center
to
Strategic
Partner
Through
Collaboration

Legal
departments
have
profoundly
shifted from
being
perceived
as
cost
centers
to
becoming strategic
business
partners that
drive
operational
efficiency.

According
to


Thomson
Reuters’ 2024
State
of
the
Corporate
Law
Department report,
this
transition
requires
a
focus
on technology
adoption,
risk
management,
and
internal
efficiencies that
align
legal
efforts
with
broader
business
priorities​.
Legal
Ops
professionals
are
leading
this
transformation,
ensuring
resilience
is
not
a
reactive
response
to
crises
but
an embedded
part
of
daily
operations.

One
key
element
in
this
evolution
is
breaking
down silos both
within
and
between
departments.
In
many
organizations,
fragmented
planning
leads
to
disconnected
resilience
strategies,
limiting
the
ability
to
respond
effectively
to
disruptions.
Legal
Ops,
however,
operates
at
the intersection
of
people,
processes,
and
technology,
making
it
uniquely
suited
to align
business
units.
By
coordinating
with
IT,
finance,
procurement,
and
external
partners,
Legal
Ops
creates a
unified
approach to
resilience.

At
UpLevel
Ops,
we’ve
seen
the
value
of cross-functional
steering
committees,
where
Legal
Ops
plays
a
central
role
in
aligning
departmental
efforts
around
shared
objectives.
Legal
Ops
professionals
also
act
as translators,
transforming
complex
legal
and
regulatory
frameworks
into
clear,
actionable
steps
that
other
business
units
can
quickly
implement.
This
collaborative
leadership
ensures
that
resilience
strategies
are
not
simply
theoretical
plans
but
practical,
coordinated
efforts
that
drive business
continuity
and
growth.

Research
shows
that
legal
teams
driving
this
transformation
can
create
measurable
value
—
beyond
cost
control
—
by
focusing
on
efficiency
metrics,
such
as
faster
contract
turnarounds,
improved
compliance
monitoring,
and
reduced
reliance
on
outside
counsel​​.

This
shift
from
a
cost-based
model
to
a
value-driven
approach
ensures
that
Legal
is
viewed
not
as
a
passive
support
function
but
as
a critical
enabler
of
business
strategy
and
driver
of
efficiency. 

Managing
Third-Party
and
Outside
Counsel
Risks
for
Operational
Continuity

As
businesses
increasingly
rely
on
vendors
and
external
partners,
third-party
risk
management has
emerged
as
a
critical
component
of
resilience.
Disruptions
within
a
vendor’s
operations
can
create
ripple
effects,
impacting
business
continuity. Legal
Ops
professionals are
uniquely
equipped
to
manage
these
risks,
ensuring
vendors
adhere
to compliance
standards,
meet
disruption
tolerance
thresholds,
and
align
with
strategic
business
goals.

Outside
Counsel
(OC)
management
is
having
a
moment.
Once
viewed
as
a
back-office
function,
it’s
gaining
attention
as
a
strategic
priority
for
Legal
Ops.
Managing
external
law
firms
is
no
longer
about
cost
control
—
it’s
about
ensuring
performance,
efficiency,
and
seamless
service
delivery
that
aligns
with
broader
departmental
and
business
goals.

Legal
Ops
plays
a critical
role in
actively
overseeing
these
relationships
in
today’s
landscape.
Without
proper
management,
outside
counsel
engagements
can
quickly
spiral,
leading
to unexpected
budget
overruns,
operational
delays,
and
inconsistent
legal
support just
when
it’s
needed
most.
The
growing
complexity
of
legal
work
and
increased
reliance
on
external
firms
make proactive
OC
management
essential for
maintaining
financial
control
and
operational
continuity.

At
UpLevel
Ops,
we’ve
found
that
a
well-designed
outside
counsel
management
program
can
make
all
the
difference.
This
includes
defining
alternative
fee
arrangements
(AFAs)
to
control
costs,
conducting
regular
billing
audits
to
avoid
surprises,
and
establishing
backup
relationships
to
ensure
service
continuity
if
primary
firms
are
unavailable.
Beyond
financial
controls,
Legal
Ops
can
also
improve
the
collaboration
between
in-house
teams
and
law
firms,
fostering
stronger
relationships
and
aligning
external
support
with
business
priorities. 

Rather
than
taking
a
reactive
approach,
Legal
Ops
leaders
proactively
engage
vendors
and
outside
counsel
in
joint
planning
sessions.
These
meetings
are
essential
to
align
expectations
and
simulate
potential
disruptions
—
such
as
unexpected
litigation
or
compliance
crises.
By
identifying
risks
early
and
building
collaborative
playbooks,
Legal
Ops
ensures
vendors
and
law
firms
are
ready
to
deliver
when
needed.

This strategic
approach
to
vendor
and
outside
counsel
management mitigates
risks
and
builds
resilience.
By
aligning
external
partners
with
the
company’s
operational
and
financial
goals,
Legal
Ops
ensures
that
the
organization
can
maintain
continuity,
even
in
the
face
of
unforeseen
disruptions.

Building
Resilience
Through
Technology
and
AI

Technology
lies
at
the
heart
of
modern
resilience
frameworks.
Legal
Ops
is
uniquely
positioned
to
drive
the
adoption
of
generative
AI
(GAI)
and
other
emerging
technologies,
thanks
to
its
role
at
the
intersection
of
people,
processes,
and
technology.
Several
of
our
clients’
Legal
teams
already
use
AI-powered
tools
—
such
as
automated
FAQs,
e-billing
platforms,
and
contract
lifecycle
management
systems
—
to
streamline
operations
and
free
up
resources
for
more
strategic
tasks​.

GAI
offers
immense
potential
to
further
enhance
resilience.
By automating
routine
processes,
AI
tools
allow
legal
professionals
to
focus
on
high-value
work,
such
as
managing
complex
litigation
or
regulatory
compliance.
Real-time
AI
insights
also
help
teams anticipate
and
mitigate
risks before
they
become
disruptive.
For
example,
automated
systems
can
monitor
regulatory
changes
or
security
alerts,
providing
early
warnings
that
enable
proactive
action.

Thomson
Reuters
reports
that
departments
integrating
AI
tools
reduce
their
reliance
on
outside
counsel,
lower
legal
spend,
and
improve
internal
efficiency​.
Legal
Ops
leaders
are
critical
to
successfully
adopting
and
integrating
these
technologies,
ensuring
that
AI
initiatives
align
with
business
goals
and
deliver
measurable
value.
This
focus
on
technology-driven
resilience
makes
Legal
Ops
a
powerful
force
that
enables
organizations
to adapt
and
thrive in
uncertain
times.

Resilience
Is
a
Continuous
Journey

Legal
operations
has
always
been
a
key
driver
of
business
continuity,
creating
systems
and
frameworks
that
allow
organizations
to
operate
efficiently,
even
in
challenging
conditions.
As
risks
grow
more
complex,
Legal
Ops
is
uniquely
positioned
to
lead
the
development
of
sustainable
resilience
strategies
that
align
with
business
priorities.
By
focusing
on
collaboration,
technology
integration,
and
proactive
vendor
management,
Legal
Ops
ensures
resilience
becomes
a
core
part
of
daily
operations
—
not
just
a
response
to
disruptions.

Resilience
isn’t
about
surviving
disruptions
—
it’s
about
embracing
change
and
using
it
as
an
opportunity
to
build
better
systems.
The
legal
departments
that
succeed
will
continuously
refine
their
processes,
align
with
business
goals,
and
leverage
technology
to
stay
ahead
of
evolving
risks.
Remember
that
resilience
isn’t
a
destination
—
it’s
an
ongoing
journey
that
requires
a
commitment
to
operational
excellence.